Mine to Tell by Colleen L. Donnelly (Book Review)

Annabelle Crouse is determined to reopen her great-grandmother’s boarded-up house–and her shunned life. Many years earlier, after an unexplained absence, Julianne was relegated to a separate home by a rigidly unforgiving husband, and the Crouse women have suffered the disgrace of her assumed guilt ever since. Despite her family’s strong disapproval, Annabelle is driven to pursue her mission through cobwebs and dust, finding the clues and the coded story left behind by her great-grandmother — Why did she go? And why did she return? Annabelle has to know. Only one person, a man she grew up with but never noticed, stands with Annabelle as she discovers the parallels between her story and her great-grandmother’s–two women, generations apart, experiencing what love truly is.

 
 
PURCHASE LINKS —–> PAPERBACK /  KINDLE
 
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
When a reader starts a romance book, you expect a HEA (happily ever after). In Mine to Tell, more than one relationship ends with mended hearts. We even see the start of a budding romance. 
 
For me, all the love brought a smile to my face. I mean, seriously, who doesn’t want everyone around them happy and their life full of joy. 
 
In Mine to Tell, several people needed joy because they’ve lived too long in darkness. In this case the darkness I’m referring to is the shame of Great Grandma Julianne; the black sheep of the family. 
 
As we play detective with Anna and Kyle, we discover GGM Julianne’s life was full of heartbreak. She lost so much but, in the end, her story brought others together. 
 
For Anna, I wondered who Colleen would finally pair with her. She seemed to teeter on the answer herself. 
 
I found myself pleased with her choice because Anna’s true love finally displayed the “love” she was silently aching for, needed, and richly deserved. But don’t we all. 
 
As for the mystery portion of this story, there were times as Kyle and Anna were deciphering the clues and reading the letters, I thought ….”Get on with it already” and other times was like “Ooooo, and then what happened?”
 
It was the latter moments that had me flipping the pages because I had to know where GGM Julianne was those two weeks away from home. 
 
I had most of the puzzle put together but the final couple pieces eluded me and when I had them…. I had closure. Like Anna. Like Kyle. Like so many others. 
 
Heart Rating System 
1 (lowest) and 5
(highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤1/2
 
PURCHASE LINKS: PAPERBACK /  KINDLE
 
 
 
 

Colleen L. Donnelly has her roots in the rural Midwest of the US, but moved around and explored other cultures as an adult. Those other areas were fun and they were exciting, but…there’s no place like home, so she’s back in the Midwest.

Colleen works as a laboratory technician by day, but spends her evenings writing, poised in front of her laptop until she can’t think any more. Her story ideas come from observing people, pondering their dilemmas, and adding a twist of her own.

Other interests are/have been bicycling, antiquing, anything outdoors, furniture refinishing, and raising pets or small barnyard types of animals. Last thing in the world she would be caught doing – “vegging” in front of a television. She loves a good movie on occasion, but most of the time, the TV is off.

http://www.colleenldonnelly.com/
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ttps://twitter.com/ColleenLDonnell

5 Comments

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5 Responses to Mine to Tell by Colleen L. Donnelly (Book Review)

  1. Thanks, Kam, you do a really nice job on your reviews. All-inclusive!

  2. Thank you Kam for sharing. I will keep this one on my list, I am always interested in new authors and books!!!!!

  3. Nice to see a reader response! Thank you, Elaine, for listening in as Kam shares reviews!

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